Tobacco feeding device



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ATTOR N EYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- G ZINT TOBACCO FEEDING DEvIc-s June 23,1953 Flled May 16, 1950 June 23, 1953 G. ZINT TOBACCO FEEDING DEVICE.

2 Sheets-Shegt 2 Filed May 15, 1950 I c 3 2 0 0 H 2 00000 2 00 0 2 h. 8a u 2 00 0 N 14 2 a "w ATTORNEYS INVENTOR. Geo/e65 Z/N Patented June 23,1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOBACCO FEEDING DEVICE George Zint,Wapakoneta, Ohio v Application May 15, 1950, Serial No. 181,939

6 Claims. (01. 131-44) This invention relates to tobacco feeding devicesfor hand-actuated cigarette rolling machines, and more particularly toimprovements in the device of my Patent No. 2,389,398, granted November2c, 1945.

While the device of that patent operates satisfactorily with some formsof granulated tobacco. it requires too much time to measure and feedother forms, and particularly tobacco which is shredded and has itsstrands intermingled or interengaged. It is, therefore, an object of thepresent invention to provide in the device, a cutting means whichquickly and efiectively cuts oil the measured quantity of tobacco fromthe supply.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kindwhich is less expensive to produce and at the same time more effectivein operation.

The above and other objects and advantages are attained by the novelconstruction, combina-- tion and arrangement of parts in the improveddevice shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the movable cutting knife in itsretracted position;

Fig, 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view substantially on theline 3--3 of Fig. 2, but show- The present preferred form of theimproved feeding device has been illustrated and will be specificallydescribed with the understanding, however, that within the scope of theinvention as claimed, variations may be made.

The device comprises a substantially fiat casing it from the rear ofwhich rises a tobacco supply hopper ii, an intermediate feeding hopperl2 into which the tobacco gravitates from the main hopper ii, andameasuring chamber or hopper it which is filled from the hopper l2 andthe bottom of which is formed by a plunger M movable forwardly andrearwardly in the flat bottom portion of the casing. of the casing isadapted for insertion into the tobacco receiving channel it formed by aloop of The open front end I" the usual belt I! of a conventionalcigarette machine IS. The casing Ill which is'open at both endscomprises a bottom Wall 9, a fixed top wall section 20, a movable topwall section 2| and side walls 22, which at the rear, are extendedupwardly to form the side walls of the supply hopper Projecting from therear of the plunger is a hand loop 22* or other suitable operatinghandle.

The measuring chamber I3 extends across the width of the casing and itsends are formed by g the walls 22. The front wall 23 of the measuringchamber or hopper is stationary and extends vertically from the frontsection to a horizontal transverse plate 34. The rear wall 25 of themeasuring chamber extends vertically between the section 2| and a plate26, the parts 2|, 25 and 26 forming a slide positioned between the walls22 and adjustable forwardly and rear wardly so that the wall 25 may bemoved toward or from the wall 23 to vary the size or capacity of themeasuring hopper. From the opposite edges of the slide rise flanges 21whichare in sliding contact with the inner faces of the walls 22. Theslide extends rearwardly through an opening I I in the rear Wall 1 ofthe hopper H at the bottom thereof. At the rear extremity of the plate26 may be formed a downturned portion or finger piece 28 to facilitateadjustment of ing the device operatively positioned with respect 3 theSlide 110 change the capacity of the measuring hopper.

Extending through the slide is a reciprocatory cutting blade or knife 29which has a diagonally extending forward cutting edge 36. The blade isbeveled along its upper edge to forma sharpened edge and is made of aplate of thin steel or other metalthat will hold a good cutting edge andmay "be resharpened. The blade 29 slides on the plate 26 between theflanges 21, and its projecting rear end may be rolled or otherwiseprovided with a suitable handle 3|. To limitthe forward and rearwardmovement of the knife blade, it may be provided with a stop screw 32whichmoves in longitudinal slot 33 formed in the plate 26-. When thescrew is removed, the blade may be pulled out of the device forsharpening.

The blade 29 moves across the top of ie measuring hopper and Ipreferably provide a co acting stationary cuttingblade or knife 34. Thelatter is in the form of an L-shaped plate with a shortarm 31 as seen inFig. 6. The long arm of the plate or blade has a beveled and sharpenedcutting edge 35 on its under face, as show in Fig. 6. To cause thetobacco to be more effectively cut Iprovide above the blade 34 anL-shaped abutment plate 36 with a short arm 31 so that the diagonalcutting edge of the movable blade enters between the two plates orblades 34 and 36. These two plates as above stated are made L-shaped andhave their short arms 3! and 3'! extending rearwardly so that the point28 of the blade 29 will remain between the two plates even when theblade 29 is in its rearmost position. The movable blade will thus beguided between main portions of the two plates. In order to provide theclearance for the blade 29, the upper plate 35 of the stationary cutteris supported in the slightly inclined position shown by two thinwedge-shaped strips or spacers 38 arranged at the ends of the mainportions of the plates 34, 35 between the short arms 31 and 31. Theparts 34, 36 and 38 are fastened together by pairs of screws 39 threadedinto openings in outwardly extending flanges 40 formed on the walls 22.Since the cutting edge 35 will need resharpening, it is desirable tomake the blade 34 adjustable by forming it as seen in Fig. 6, with slots4| through which the screws pass as seen in Fig. 5. The short arms 31and 31* are formed with notches 42 to slidably receive one of theflanges 2i and permit adjustment of the slide. It will be understoodthat the space between the thin metal plates 34, 35 along the rear edgesof their main portions is just sufiicient to receive the thickness ofthe movable blade The latter is very thin and its side edge adjacent itspoint 2!! slides between the arms 3'! and ill inward of the notches 42as seen in Fig. 2. Because of the thinness of the blade 29 the outerportions of the arms 31 and 31 will be in contact or substantially incontact as seen in Fig. 1. In a device of this kind where the cuttingblade must be pushed through the tobacco by the fingers, it is importantthat there be very little frictional resistance to the movement of theblade, and also that the blade be thin and have a sharp cutting edge.The structure shown and described has been found to be very effectivesince the blade 29 may slide freely between the flanges 2'1 and on thewall or plate 26; its only other bearing 1 contacts being at the rear ofthe hopper at H and between the plates 34 and 35. Only the longer sideedge of the blade 29 is in contact with rearwardly extending arms 3'!and 31 of the abutment plate 36 and the stationary blade 34 at thebeginning of the tobacco cutting stroke, and those extensions 3! and 3'!are necessary for a very thin blade with a diagonal edge forming thepoint 29. The blade 29 is thus effectively guided since it never leavesthe abutment 3! and 31 The disclosed structure also permits both cuttersto be removed for resharpening, and further permits the adjustment ofthe slide 2 i, 25, 26 to vary the size of the chamber 13.

The feeding hopper or chamber 12 is formed by a U-shaped member 43disposed horizontally above the lower portion of the casing and aroundthe cutting blades so as to hold the tobacco above the measuring hopper.The two arms 44 of this member engage the outer faces of the walls 22adjacent the opening li formed below the bottom edge of the front wallll of the hopper II; and they ar secured by the same fastenings whichhold the slide in its adjusted position. These fastenings are preferablyin the form of bolts 45 which pass through openings 44 in the arms 44and openings 22 in the walls 22 and through longitudinal slots 2'! inthe flanges of the slide. Nuts 46 with milled heads are applied to thethreaded outer ends of the bolts to draw their flat faced heads 41against the flanges 21. The bolts are prevented from rotating by theengagement of the fiat portions of their heads with straight shoulders48 formed by bending inwardly the upper edges of the flanges 21. It willbe seen that when the nuts 46 are loose, the slide may be shifted bymanipulating the finger piece 28 in a direction to either enlarge orreduce the size of the measuring hopper I3. I preferably provide on theinner face of one of the arms 44 a scale 49 to coact with a verticaledge 5! of one of the flanges 21, as seen in Fig. 3, to indicate theadjustment and to facilitate readjustment according to the desire of theuser.

It is believed that the operation of the device will be apparent fromthe foregoing detailed description, but it may be noted that cigarettetobacco of any kind may be easily fed from the supply hopper to theholding or feeding hopper above the measuring chamber. Normally, theplunger will close the bottom of the chamber [3 and the movable bladewill be retracted so that the tobacco will drop into the measuringhopper and fill the same. The blade or knife 29 is then projectedforwardly to out the measured quantity from the supply. The front end ofthe casing is then inserted into the tobacco receiving channel it of therolling machine. The plunger 44 is then moved rearwardly from beneaththe hopper i3 so that the tobacco therein may drop down into the casingin advance of the plunger. The plunger is then pushed. forwardly to movethe measured quantity of tobacco into the channel l8. Then, whileholding the plunger against rearward sliding, the rest of the device isslid rearwardly, leaving the tobacco in the channel It. When the plungeris removed, the machine it may be operated in the usual manner after theproper positioning of the gummed cigarette paper.

My improved device may be operated quickly and effectively with allkinds of tobacco, and its construction is such that it may bemanufactured at a relatively low cost.

Excellent results have been obtained from the construction shown anddescribed and it is, therefore, preferably followed. However, attentionis again invited to the possibility of making variations within thescope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A filling device for a cigarette rolling machine having a tobaccoreceiving channel co1nprising a casing having a substantially flat lowerportion with an open front end for insertion into said tobacco receivingchannel of the rolling machine, a tobacco supply hopper rising from therear portion of said lower portion and having side walls and a frontwall with an open lower portion, a tobacco-confining, U-shaped memberdisposed above the flat lower portion of said casmg and having its armsoverlapping the inner faces of the side walls of said supply hopperadjacent the open lower portion of said front wall of the latter, atobacco measruing hopper positioned between said member and said flatlower portion of the casing, said measuring hopper having a stationaryfront wall, a slide beneath said supply hopper and forming the rear wallof said measuring hopper, said slide having upright side flangescontacting with the inner faces of said side walls of the supply hopperand formed with opposed longitudinal slots, said side walls and armshaving openings, screw-threaded fastenings passing through said slotsand through said openings in said side walls and in said arms to fastensaid member and to secure said slide in an adjusted position, areciprocable cutting blade slidably mounted on said slide and having acutting edge movable across the top of said measuring hopper, and aplunger in said lower portion of said casing and reciprocable across thebottom of said measuring hopper.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said threaded fastenings are boltshaving nuts on their outer ends and flat faced heads on their innerends, and in which said flanges on said slide have straight shouldersengaged by the fiat faces of said bolt heads.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the cutting edge of said cuttingblade is diagonally arranged to provide the blade with a forward pointat one oi its sides, together with a stationary cutter plate arranged 0nsaid casing above said stationary front wall, an abutment plate spacedabove said stationary cutter plate a distance to receive said bladebetween them, said plates being formed at one end with superimposedrearward extensions between which the side edge of said blade adjacentthe point of the latter slides, the rear ends of said extensions beingformed with slots to receive the adjacent upright side flange of saidslide to permit adjustment of the latter.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said side walls have outwardlyextending flanges and in which the end portions of said stationarycutter plate are formed with forwardly andrearwardly extending slots,and screw threaded fastenings passed through said abutment plate andsaid last mentioned slots, and into the outwardly extending flanges ofsaid side walls to permit adjustment of said stationary cutter plate.

5. A filling device for a cigarette rolling machine, comprising a casinghaving a substantially flat and rectangular lower portion with an openfront end for insertion into a tobacco receiving channel of the rollingmachine, tobacco holding means on the upper rear part of said casingincluding a supply hopper having front and rear walls with openings attheir lower ends and parallel side walls with forwardly extendingportions, a tobacco measuring hopper extending across said casing and inopen communication at its top with said tobacco holding means and at itsbottom with said flat lower portion, the latter having a top wallcomposed of a stationary forward section Which forms the front wall ofsaid measuring hopper and a forwardly and rearwardly movable slide whichforms the rear wall of said measuring hopper, the side walls of saidmeasuring hopper being formed by said extended portions of the sidewalls of said supply hopper, said slide being disposed beneath theopening in the bottom of the front wall of said supply hopper and havingat its opposite sides upstanding flanges in slidable contact with theinner faces of said extended side walls, means for securin said slide inan adjusted position, a generally rectangular movable cutter bladeslidably mounted on the top of said slide between its said flanges, saidblade forming the bottom of said supply hopper and having its rearportion slidable through the opening at the bottom of the rear wall ofsaid supply hopper, said blade having a diagonally extending cuttingedge such that the said cutting edge and one side form a point, astationary cutter plate disposed on said stationary top wall section andhaving a cutting edge disposed over the stationary front wall of saidmeasuring hopper, an abutment plate spaced above said stationary cutterplate a distance permitting the cutting edge of said movable blade toenter between said plates, said plates being formed at one end withVertically-spaced rearwardly extending arms between which the point ofsaid movable cutter blade is guided when said blade moves rearwardlyover the top of said measuring hopper, and a plunger in said lowerportion of the casing and reciprccable across the bottom of saidmeasuring hopper.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said side walls have outwardlyextending flanges. and in which the end portions of said stationarycutter plate have forwardly and rearwardly extending slots, and screwthreaded fastenings passed through said abutment plate and saidlast-mentioned slots, and into the outwardly extending flanges of saidside walls to permit adjustment of said stationary cutter plate.

GEORGE ZINT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 209,246 Gallagher Oct. 22, 1873 305,247 Sternberg Sept. 16,1884 364,701 Beckert June 14, 1887 422,000 Williams Feb. 25, 1890707,767 Ferrari Aug. 26, 1902 2,378,133 Durning June 12, 1945 2,389,398Zint NOV. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6,612 GreatBritain of 1899

